My family is planning a two week Christmas trip flying into Malaga and spending time in Seville,Cordoba and Granada before heading home. Since our time is very limited,I am asking if it is worth stopping in Gibraltar for a few hours to see the rock and town.

I would appreciate any thoughts if you think it is worth the stop or not. Thanks!

Gibraltar is very quirky, we liked it but most don't. The problem can be a long wait at the frontier.

What is "the frontier"?

Err, the frontier with Spain.

Like IMD I rather enjoyed Gibraltar, but I'm a Brit and I was a couple of months into a long trip. Gin and tonic, fish and chips, and a good Indian curry all made a nice change. I was able to see Africa from the top of the rock and found it entertaining to cross an active runway to reach the town. However, if you are short on time I don't know that I'd bother.

Our family is from the US so we haven't met anyone who has been to Gibraltar. If we stop for a visit, how long would you allow to see it? Thanks so much!

A full day.

One of the quirkiest things is the airfield. Here is a video of the airfield. The darkened stripe in the middle of the tarmac is where the cars drive to get back and forth from Spain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxhEFcaWnEg

We loved it. After a few weeks in Spain, it was a nice change for the day. The air strip was memorable. The cave was fantastic.

Gibraltar is very much like a tiny slice of the UK stuck on the end of Spain and whether you'd find it worthwhile to see depends on how much you'd be pining for the UK whilst in Spain!

It also depends on how much the Spanish Border control are delaying people (on purpose), thus making queues to get in a bit of a pain. There is a border webcam here:
http://www.frontierqueue.gi/frontiercamera.aspx

that lets you have look at how bad the queues are. I've just looked at 11:00 UK time and it was OK.

If you do go, go up to the top of the rock, avoid the Barbary Apes and have a walk through the tunnels. Back down in town, walk down the main street to Casement Square. Cafes and pubs are very British, shops are duty free.

IMHO a big waste of time. There is a large rock with nasty monkeys that like to steal things and bite tourists. The town is very British (not legally part of Spain) so can understand why Brits like it.

The problem is that crossing into Gibraltar is easy (you go across the border which is the airport runway). But getting back into Spain can be very difficult - often taking hours. We, two obviously middle class americans in an upscale rented car, were stopped, questioned extensively and had our car half dismantled before we were allowed back into Spain.

Definitely not worth it.

If you take public transport you don't have to worry about having the car inspected.

? What public transport crosses the border ?

If you do go, prep yourself, leave the car in La Linea and walk in and out.

Public transport after the border.

When did they open the border? A friend and I were on an extended trip many years ago heading down to coast toward Algeciras and the ferry to Tangiers, and we'd hoped to stop in Gibraltar. But the border was closed and very clearly was a spot of contention between GB and Spain (at that time still under Franco's iron hand).

The tensions between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar rise and fall. Maybe someone knows the present situation.

Don Topaz
The border was closed for several years until the mid eighties as I recall. I have no recollection of any full closure since.

.....and it would be an extraordinary illegal act and upset thousands of Spaniards who cross to work in Gibraltar if it did happen.

Speaking about tensions between Spain and the UK, read about the day the Royal Marine invaded La Linea and were hold on the beach by 2 policemen. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1827554.stm

There is a severe prejudice against the Spanish in Gibraltar.

I thought I saw John Cleese and Eric Idle leading that invasion force at La Linea.

The border was closed between 1969 and 1985, ten years after the Franco years. During that time, one had to get there via Tangiers.
Gib is an historic place and worth visiting but only if the line to get in is short. I wouldn't bother.